In the near future, we anticipate that partnerships between online pharmacies and health insurers will streamline the claims settlement and reimbursement processes.
Healthcare in India has experienced a significant amount of transformation over the last ten years, and digital health technologies have been at the forefront of providing convenient and efficient ways for people to gain access to healthcare. One area in particular, the growth of online pharmacy sites that allow customers to purchase medications online, has provided increased convenience to patients and changed the overall healthcare experience for many.
Online medicine order is expected to continue to play an important role in the future of India’s digital health ecosystem as the country integrates additional digital technologies into its healthcare system.
The Transition To Digital Healthcare
India’s healthcare system has moved toward a significant amount of digitalisation over the last few years, largely due to efforts by both the government and the private sector to implement new technologies in healthcare and increase the number of patients using telemedicine and online pharmacies.
Both the Digital India Mission and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) have played key roles in supporting the growth of the digital healthcare system.
Together, the two programs seek to develop a digitalised healthcare system that provides easy access to patients’ medical records, prescriptions, and consultation information across all different types of healthcare platforms. The implementation of the ABDM and Digital India Mission has promoted the development of digital pharmacies, which are rapidly becoming an integral part of the evolving healthcare ecosystem in India.
Increasing Use Of Online Pharmacy Platform
Over the last few years, a significant portion of the population has turned to online pharmacy sites to meet some of their healthcare needs, such as consulting with physicians, booking appointments for diagnostic testing, and purchasing medications online. The reasons for this include the growth in internet penetration, an increase in the number of smartphones available to consumers, and lower cost of access to data plans.
The ease of being able to order medications from home, door-to-door delivery of medications, digital payment options, and reminders regarding the time to take medications have all created an environment in which digital pharmacies can thrive. Elderly patients and working professionals are particularly attracted to the option of having their prescription medications delivered to their homes and they support the increased use of digital pharmacies.
Telemedicine and e-Consultation Services
Digital pharmacies have opened new avenues for telemedicine and e-pharmacy services in the U.S. Healthcare system. Today, patients can consult with physicians via telemedicine, receive prescriptions via e-prescription service and order medication directly from those sites.
Telemedicine and e-pharmacy services will allow for a reduction of trips to multiple healthcare offices and enable patients to adhere to their physician’s treatment plan. Additionally, telemedicine and e-pharmacy services will provide ongoing care to patients who have chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and thyroid disease.
We believe that in the near future, there will be further consolidation between telemedicine and e-pharmacy services. We envision a future where physicians can electronically prescribe medications that can automatically be filled at the patient’s preferred pharmacy, which will create a consumer-centric model for providing healthcare.
Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are evolving to transform the way pharmacies operate. Pharmacies using AI algorithms can use the information in a patient’s purchasing history to determine when they might run low on an item, find alternative treatments if they cannot obtain an item, etc.
Data collected from digital pharmacies can also be used to identify trends and make recommendations to policymakers on what policies to enact to improve public health. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are expected to become increasingly advanced, helping patients remember to take their medications, alerting them to potential interactions of medications and help answer patient questions about their medications in real-time.
Quality, Safety and Regulatory Oversight
As digital pharmacies grow, regulatory oversight is necessary to protect the integrity of medications sold online. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), and the Payment Card Industry (PCI) are currently working to regulate the sale of medication online and prevent unregulated pharmacies from selling medication online.
The Indian government has drafted regulations for regulating e-pharmacies, proposing requirements for obtaining a license to operate an e-pharmacy; validating prescriptions before dispensing medication; protecting patient confidentiality, etc.
If the regulatory body develops a well-defined set of regulations for the digital pharmacy industry, patient safety will be maintained and patient confidence in the digital pharmacy model will be preserved.
Use of Blockchain For Authenticity and Traceability
Blockchain technology is increasingly being considered for its ability to track the origin of pharmaceutical products. When a transaction is completed, the blockchain creates an irreversible record of the transaction. Therefore, blockchain can enable the tracking of a medicine from its manufacture through to the point of consumption.
This ability to track the movement of medicines is highly valuable because it minimises the likelihood that counterfeit medicines enter the supply chain, a problem that affects the global healthcare industry.
Blockchain also facilitates accountability among suppliers and distributors and increases the level of transparency of online transactions, thereby increasing the confidence of patients in the legitimacy of the online transaction.
Support From Pharmacists And Virtual Counselling
The transition to digital medicine does not eliminate the need for trained pharmacists. However, as a result of the move to digital, the function of pharmacists is changed. The majority of online pharmacy sites currently employ licensed pharmacists to review prescriptions, direct the patient on how much of their prescription they should take, and inform patients about potential side effects and safe storage practices for medications via chat/video.
Through reviewing prescriptions from a professional perspective, educating patients on their medications through counselling and information, pharmacists involved in digital medicine help increase compliance and decrease errors due to drug interactions or abuse.
Thus, the inclusion of licensed pharmacists in digital medicine models adds a human element to digital medicine and supports the idea that technology should augment, but not replace, expert advice.
Digital Payment Systems and Health Insurance Integration
The addition of secure digital payment methods has greatly enhanced the accessibility of e-pharmacy platforms. UPI, debit/credit card and wallet-based payment options offer a seamless payment experience.
In the near future, we anticipate that partnerships between online pharmacies and health insurers will streamline the claims settlement and reimbursement processes. When online pharmacies can connect e-prescriptions, digital receipts, and insurance databases, patients will be better equipped to manage their healthcare costs.
Such integration may also encourage the inclusion of preventative health packages and chronic care management services in digital pharmacy models.
Challenges in Expanding the Digital Pharmacy Model
While the growth of digital pharmacies holds promise, India’s online pharmacy model presents both operational and ethical concerns which need to be addressed:
- The Internet is largely unavailable in rural and remote areas, and therefore, they cannot use online health care services.
- Protection of patient data is becoming increasingly important as we conduct digital transactions to protect confidential information and maintain the integrity of our individual data.
- Many patients, especially those in semi-urban areas, do not know how to upload their digital prescription for verification.
- There is an increased risk of counterfeiting or selling low-quality medications through online sales if there is not sufficient protection from doing so.
Educating patients regarding the risks associated with digital pharmacy use, developing a regulatory framework that ensures quality and safety standards for digital pharmacies, and creating secure digital platforms for online transactions will be critical to expanding the digital pharmacy model sustainably.
Future Opportunities In The Digital Health Ecosystem
The future of online pharmacies in India lies in increased integration with India’s broader healthcare infrastructure. Partnerships with the government, a national digital health ID system, and interoperable electronic health records (EHRs) will promote consistent and transparent delivery of medical care.
Increased connectivity to rural areas will enable digital pharmacies to fill the gap in healthcare access in underserved areas. Collaboration between digital pharmacies, hospitals and diagnostic centres will allow a single portal to deliver comprehensive healthcare services.
In addition, the use of emerging technology, like the Internet of Things (IoT), will also be utilised to improve the digital health system. The use of IoT-enabled devices will allow for continuous collection of vital signs; the device will send this information to healthcare providers, and they will be able to make adjustments to prescriptions and treatment plans based on the collected data.
India’s overall digital health system is evolving to become an increasingly integrated, more efficient and more patient-centred future as medical access and distribution evolve through technological innovation.